Zurich-based real estate decision platform Lookthrough and Berlin-based AI portfolio management platform BuildingMinds have announced a merger to establish a unified AI platform for institutional real estate, placing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) intelligence at the core of property investment.
The transaction creates a profitable software company managing an institutional real estate dataset spanning more than 100,000 buildings across 64 countries. The combined platform aims to address a shift in institutional investor priorities, moving beyond basic ESG compliance and carbon reporting towards integrating sustainability metrics directly into asset valuations, risk profiles, and capital allocation decisions.
Under the agreement, BuildingMinds will maintain its brand, Berlin headquarters, client-facing teams, and existing EU data security certifications. Outgoing BuildingMinds Chief Executive Officer Marek Sacha will oversee the transition before joining the Board as a non-executive director. Schindler, which originally founded BuildingMinds, will remain the largest institutional shareholder in Lookthrough following the transaction, which is scheduled to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Marek Sacha, Chief Executive Officer of BuildingMinds, highlighted the strategic focus on actionable sustainability insights: “Together, we cover more than 100,000 buildings in a profitable company. That is rare in this market, and it matters to fund and asset managers choosing a long-term technology partner. Joining forces with Lookthrough allows us to move beyond reporting and to become the platform clients rely on to make better investment decisions every day.”
Marcel Staub, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Lookthrough, emphasized the integration of ESG metrics into portfolio performance: “BuildingMinds has solved the industry’s data problem. Together, we’re solving its decision problem. By combining trusted ESG and operational data with AI-powered decision intelligence, we’re giving institutional investors the ability to decide where to invest next – faster and with greater confidence.”
By unifying operational ESG datasets with financial analytics, the platform aims to enable institutional asset managers, governments, and corporate owners to quantify decarbonisation strategies, assess climate vulnerability, and align future investments with long-term sustainability goals.
